Former Strictly Come Dancing Star Shaun Wright-Phillips Branded “Uncomfortable to Watch” After Shock Exit
Shaun Wright-Phillips’ time on Strictly Come Dancing has come to an end, but the former England footballer has already faced a particularly harsh assessment of his performances. Former professional dancer Vincent Simone believes Shaun was the right contestant to leave the BBC competition, describing his dancing as “uncomfortable to watch” in a blunt post-exit verdict.
Shaun and his professional partner, Alexis Warr, became the fourth couple to leave the competition after losing Sunday night’s dance-off against Jamie Winstone and her partner, Carlos Gu. The result was decided through the judges’ scores and the public vote, with Shaun and Alexis failing to secure their place in the next round.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk on behalf of Paddy Power Games, Vincent made little secret of his opinion that Shaun’s departure was justified.
“Even his first dance, it looked like he was out of place,” Vincent said. “The steps went wrong. He didn’t perform. He didn’t know where to look. It was a bit uncomfortable to watch, to be honest.”
Vincent Simone Explains Why Shaun’s Exit Was Justified
Vincent, who previously competed on Strictly Come Dancing, also reflected on how difficult the experience could be for Shaun, particularly with his family watching from the audience.
Among those supporting the former footballer on Sunday night was his father, Arsenal legend Ian Wright. However, Vincent suggested that having a parent in the audience could make an elimination even more painful.
“And the fact that his dad was watching in the audience is even worse in a way. Of course, I’ve been there,” he explained.
Vincent recalled a time when his own children came to watch him perform on the show, admitting that their presence mattered far more to him than the millions of other people watching at home.
“I remember when my children came to watch me once. I didn’t care about anybody else. I didn’t care about 15 million people watching me. What I cared about was my children.”
His comments offered a glimpse into the personal pressure contestants can face when performing under the spotlight, especially when the people closest to them are watching from the sidelines.
Shaun Wright-Phillips Reveals What Went Wrong During His Final Dance
Shaun and Alexis performed a jive to Faith, by Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande, but their routine earned just 17 points from the judges.
Judge Motsi Mabuse highlighted the problems with the performance, noting that there had been “a lot of mistakes” throughout the dance.
Despite the disappointing score and eventual elimination, Shaun later explained that the routine had gone much better during rehearsals. Appearing on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, he admitted that he was struggling to understand why things had unravelled on the night.
“I don’t even know what went wrong because in the warm-up and in the dress rehearsal we nailed (the routine) perfectly,” he said.
Shaun then pinpointed the moment he believes caused the problems, explaining that his left foot failed him during the first rock-step continuation.
“Then for whatever reason during the first rock step continuation, my left foot went – and it shouldn’t have gone.”
From that point onwards, he said, the routine became a struggle to recover.
“After that moment, it was almost like me playing catch-up.”
He explained that trying to regain the rhythm led to further mistakes, eventually culminating in a slip that affected the remainder of the performance.
“I was rushing to try and catch up and keep the pace, then it was a knock-on effect until I slipped,” Shaun added.
Although he acknowledged the difficulties, he felt the performance improved as it progressed.
“It got better towards the end and finished a bit stronger.”
Shaun Insists He Went Out With a Bang
Reflecting on his departure, Shaun said he had “went out with a bang” as he became the latest celebrity to leave the BBC dance competition.
His exit followed the dance-off against Jamie Winstone and Carlos Gu, who secured their place in the competition after the final showdown.
While Vincent’s assessment of Shaun’s dancing was sharply critical, Shaun’s own explanation pointed to a routine that went wrong at a crucial moment rather than a performance that had been doomed from the start.
With the competition continuing without him and Alexis, the former footballer’s Strictly journey has ended after a challenging final dance, leaving him to look back on the mistakes that ultimately cost them their place in the show.